Where do I begin? Much like standards for students, these standards for teachers will help you know where to begin when implementing technology in your classroom. My suggestion is to take baby steps! Don't be overwhelmed. Just focus on one standard at a time, and if at first you don't succeed, try again! If you fail to plan, you will plan to fail.
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx
My first baby step was to begin with my students' interests. I choose real-life examples that were motivating to them...GAMES! I would introduce the content standard I wanted them to master, and found great interactive games we could all play together. Normally I would choose a center rotation, but instead I found I had the "whole group" attention while they were working in small groups to complete games online.
Linking these games into my interwrite lesson plan saved me so much time, and the students were motivated for the drill and practice because I eliminated the need for paper/pencil tasks. I started with an amazing website called http://www.multiplication.com/. Here I found great interactive games, and videos that explained the concepts.
Start with these tasks first, and check back frequently because I have many more ideas coming your way. Remember the key here is "less is more." Once you develop an understanding and comfort with implementing technology, you will be more accepting for the rest I have to share.
ROAD BLOCKS: In the event you don't have an interwrite board in your classroom, or individual laptops, start with just a few computers. Grouping your students into problem solving teams will eliminate the frustration of not having all of the technology you want to have. You must be creative with what you have or don't have. If you don't have any student computers, gather them around yours and show them the game. Then instruct them that they are going to be creating a game just like the one they saw. They can create story boards and plans for implementation (while secretly mastering the skill needed).
"Fear Not": Fear not what you don't know, don't have, or can't understand! Instead enjoy the opportunity to learn from others, create, and ask for help and understanding from within or a higher power. You must be the leader of your own steps...and remember...BABY STEPS!
As you can clearly see this was my first blog, and I hope from my class at Indiana Wesleyan will teach me how to better express, and share the new technologies out there so we all can take Baby Steps together :)!
References
International Society for Technology in Education. Nets for Teachers, ISTE Nets for Teachers: Advanced Digital Age for Teaching (2008)
Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx
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